Pot For Potholes In Michigan

Is 'Pot For Potholes' a Crazy Idea ? Is a Ballot Proposal to Raise the Sales Tax Any Crazier ?

At the end of the lame duck session of the Michigan legislature last year, the lawmakers in Lansing decided to do nothing about a problem that has been making their constituents scream for at least a decade. They decided to let us do the job of funding road repair instead of doing it themselves. So they put a sales tax increase on the ballot in May.

Was it Pot that gave them such a 'lame' idea ? What about taxing pot ?

'Yeah, maybe that would work. But once they fill every pothole, what do you think they would legalize to fix every crack?'

Actually the idea of using a tax on legalized pot in Michigan for road funding is not a new one. I have seen it talked about in the news for at least two years, sometimes as a joke and sometimes not. But for a lot of reasons expecting Michigan voters to agree to a sales tax increase seems to also be a joke. Such a ballot proposal is already getting a lot of opposition. And if it does fail, so much for any other attempt to raise taxes for anything else, needed or not. But back to the 'Pot for Potholes' thing.  

Over a year ago it was reported on NPR news that a GOP state lawmaker wanted to legalize marijuana to pay for roads. One lawmaker admitted the measure probably wouldn't be enough to address the entire problem of Michigan’s crumbling infrastructure. But he said it would at least help while legislators debate a more comprehensive solution. Remember that was well over a year ago. So as Dr. Phil says 'How's that work'in out for 'ya?'.

Even Comedy Central's Stephen Colbert couldn't help but make fun of the idea in a segment on his show. I think he commented 'Yeah, maybe that would work. But once they fill every pothole, what do you think they would legalize to fix every crack?' Again that was over a year ago, you can try the link HERE (The Michigan mention begins at 2:50)


 

Now more recently it has come up in the news again on a page on MLive.com by Politics Columnist Tim Skubick, also host of "Off The Record" on PBS. I like to read and listen to Mr. Skubick - don't always agree but he is informative.

In the article he said '64 percent of the citizens say they would vote to tax marijuana to fix the roads, compared to only 43 percent who would raise the sales tax to do it'. Not sure where he got the info but it sounds about right. On the other hand he quotes governor Snyder, after seeing the poll as saying, “I don’t see marijuana being the solution,” on how to fix the roads. Read the article HERE. But Mr. Governor, it seems that neither do 64 percent of voters in Michigan see raising the sales tax as a solution.

After The Smoke Clears...

So if taxing pot is not a real solution and if raising the sales tax may not solve the problem of Michigan's lousy roads what else is there ? Think I'll go see my relatives in Colorado and just think it over for a while. Then I'll get back and let you know what I think.




















Drive Careful,
Will